Fortune and Glory2 Chainz discusses his intimate relationship with cannabis and luxury

NEW YORK, NY – JULY 10: 2 Chainz poses during a portrait session at John Ricard Studio. (Photo by John Ricard/Getty Images)

As a chart-topping artist and beloved television host of VICELAND’s popular series Most Expensivest, 2 Chainz’s continual fascination for luxurious extravagance and fine cannabis has never faltered. Last fall, he partnered with Green Street Agency and Mazel Management Group to launch GAS Cannabis Co., a premium line of cannabis products geared towards connoisseurs of fine cannabis products. Soon after, Green Street Agency begun the process of expanding to a massive seven-story, 67,000-square-foot building in downtown Los Angeles, California, which will be one of the largest U.S. buildings dedicated exclusively to showcasing fine cannabis brands including GAS.

With two decades of experience in the entertainment world under his belt, 2 Chainz knows exactly what he wants at this point in his career. Over 20 years ago, the rapper and his childhood friend Earl “Dolla Boy” Conyers formed Playaz Circle, and they popularized the sound of southern hip-hop and the style of music coming from greater Atlanta, Georgia. 2 Chainz entered the mainstream charts in 2012 after he signed with Def Jam Recordings, with his first solo offering going Platinum and leading to a long string of hits. 2 Chainz has won numerous awards including a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance and five additional nominations, as well as a Soul Train Award and multiple BET Awards. The rapper also boasts several number one albums on the Billboard 200, the U.S. Rap and U.S. R&B/Hip-Hop charts. His fifth full length studio album, Rap or Go to the League, released in March, also rose to the top of the U.S. Rap and U.S. R&B/Hip-Hop charts.

Two years ago the veteran rapper began hosting VICELAND’s Most Expensivest, and on each episode viewers are invited on a tour of the shiniest, most opulent and over-the-top luxury items on the market. Spending six figures or more at a time is a challenge for almost anyone else, but not for 2 Chainz. Anyone who knows the rapper knows that he does not settle for anything that is less than top-shelf—from upscale jewelry to lavish clothing and luxury vape pens. Season 3 of Most Expensivest premiered on June 11, and for the first episode, the rapper invited Amber Rose to explore luxurious adult products. Tune in to VICELAND to catch 2 Chainz on the rest of his journey this season, which includes appearances from Erykah Badu, Jerry Rice and Mark Cuban.

The rapper’s cannabis line is available as pre-rolls and 3.5 oz. packages at select locations throughout California. With three corresponding colors, the line comes in three categories represent grades of gasoline. According to 2 Chainz’s own words, GAS is an acronym for “Good Ass Shit,” but the line incorporates a unique theme centered on refueling at the gas station. Just as you’d select unleaded, unleaded plus or premium gasoline at the pump, there are three grades of cannabis that 2 Chainz himself helped conceptualize and develop. His wise investment in the cannabis industry puts him in a position to collect more revenue. CULTURE was able to catch up with 2 Chainz in a private setting to discuss what he has planned for the cannabis industry.

“I’ve always smoked cannabis. I’ve always looked at it like that. It’s never bothered me. That’s how I went on about my life, and I never dealt with the consequences as it went on.”

Photo Credit: Nabil

The cannabis industry is booming across the nation. What led you to become involved in the cannabis market?

My whole thing in life has been to exceed expectations—and I think that’s what I’m doing with my GAS brand. It’s all about legal distribution. It’s about having all the documents that you need together. It’s all about really changing something that used to be taboo or something bad, especially in my community, as far as doing things like trapping and selling weed. It made me come up with my own brand, my own strain of legal cannabis flower. It’s made up of three very potent levels of flower all stemming from the lingo, which is really about gas. I’m happy to be taking it to higher levels with our marketing ideas and even advertising concepts that I can really have that correlation with my music. That’s why it’s so easy for me. I’m so excited about this, because I did all of this.

We noticed that you have GAS flower branded as unleaded, unleaded plus and premium gas for the theme of your cannabis line. We were really impressed at the strategy that you’ve taken.

We’ve got it stored in a gas can right here! [Pointing to a prop containing GAS cannabis.] This is an actual gas can. This is more for people that want to have a supply of the GAS and serve the monthly subscribers. It’s like you’re at the gas station and you need to know which kind of gas you’re looking for based on what you need. We’ve got the premium. We’ve got the other levels. It’s all about luxury. It’s about taste for me. I don’t want to dumb nothing down for nobody. This is about how I enjoy high luxury.

“My whole thing in life has been to exceed expectations—and I think that’s what I’m doing with my GAS brand.”

Photo Credit: Nabil

Everybody’s excited about recreational sales rolling out nationally and internationally. Do you like it better now that the cannabis market is going recreational, or when it was medical-only?

Whatever it was, it never bothered me. That was exactly the same thing I was doing. I’ve always smoked cannabis. I’ve always looked at it like that. It’s never bothered me. That’s how I went on about my life, and I never dealt with the consequences as it went on. But I kept on smoking weed and getting into trouble and getting fines. I kind of just kept going on, not worrying about the charges. That’s basically my argument. That’s the only drug that I do, and it’s just like I say to myself, “That’s it for me.” I might have a joint. That’s just my flavor. That’s what I do. And so it feels good now to have it legal and to not being so nervous to just be doing something that you consider normal and something that is not hurting anyone else.

Have you always been a daily cannabis smoker?

Yes.

Photo Credit: Nabil

What do you have planned in the next upcoming few months?

I plan on changing my family’s life with this right here. [Motioning towards his GAS products.] Legal cannabis. I plan on making enough money to be able to invest in all the things that I want to do. Just being an entrepreneur and a leader in my community.

Competition is fierce in the commercial cannabis market. Do you have more GAS products that you plan on rolling out?

Sure. I have all of that coming. But this right here is about kicking around and making myself comfortable. So that’s what this GAS is, even the concept, the marketing, the colors and everything. It’s about my position in this sort of chill space, whether they want to give me the top shelf or whatever. People will see these colors and know that it’s a representation of me. You’ll know that it has a lot of my personality, and you’ll at least try it. Once you try it, you’ll know where it came from.

“It’s all about luxury. It’s about taste for me. I don’t want to dumb nothing down for nobody. This is about how I enjoy high luxury.”

Can you explain the green, yellow and black color scheme for your product line?

Yes. So the green is 87. We have three different types of gas or octane that we serve. It’s 87, 89 and 93. Eighty-seven will be something that is for like a car that is not a 2018, 2019 model. But at the same time, it’s strong enough to actually get the job done. I like to call it “the morning” or “the wake-up.” I have this hybrid. This yellow one in the middle is our 89. This is in between the others for a reason. It’s as strong as the green but not as strong as the black. It’s something that I think you can do throughout the day, such as when you’re on [a] lunch break. When you’re at work and you don’t want to be totally stoned. This black is more for the really laid back and chill nighttime kind of thing. This one I really enjoy. I smoke the strongest all the time even in the morning. But that’s me. Some people might not be able to handle that. It’s for those people who really enjoy that super duper body high. That’s what the 93 is for.

Photo Credit: Nabil

The color scheme is fascinating. What do these colors mean to you personally?

These are actually Jamaican flag colors. So, I just knew that they were colors that would stand out.